The winter activation is much more challenging than the summer one. In the summer, it is a drive-up until the last quarter-mile walk. In the winter the road is closed 9 miles down at 2000' elevation. So that means and 4000' climb over 8 miles up.
There are a couple ways to get to Baldy Peak and I think I took the longer route with more gain. I really wasn't sure if I would get this high with snow levels so didn't even pay attention to the other but when I was there a couple others were on trail too from the other side. You will have to go off trail to do the final climb which is a little crumbly and steep. I chose the ridge line partly in some vegetation so the ground didn't slide so much. It was overcast but I can tell it has a fabulous view. Wasn't bad even with the clouds. I took the Charlie Buck/Baldy Peak Trailhead.
Indian Post Office is an intriguing name given to a rounded high point qualifying as a SOTA summit along the Nee Me Poo, a trail of the Nez Perce and the Lewis and Clark trail. I searched the few vertical rock outcrops looking for what I thought might be pictographs or petroglyphs. I found neither. I did see a large rock cairn linked to folklore.
3420-W7O/SC-263- I did this summit as a 2nd summit of the day, after Fielder Mountain. It is a lovely summit top, very park like with tall timber including Sugar Pine, Canyon Live Oak, among other evergreens and wildflowers. We parked below a tree with a large memorial sign for a young man, Zach Marsino. This is right at the final climb up, approx 1/4 mi. up a steep well used OHV/jeep road. The path is obvious.
For those speedy hikers Rhodes Peak can be hiked in a day. For those like me, a trail sloth, a backpack camp at Goat Lake half-way there is a fine alternative for a multi-day hike to three nearby summits. The lake is within a scenic alpine basin next to W7I/NI-108 and looks across a valley to Williams Peak W7I/NI-003. Rhodes Peak is Clearwater County’s highpoint and is sought by those summiting every County highpoint in Idaho.
Williams Peak is a good trail hike with a short off-trail hike and a short rock scramble. The summit has good views but little room for operating. A good alternative is to hunker-in just below the summit and tie off to one of the few snags or live trees on the south side.
Most everyone who has driven to or from southern Oregon has driven over the Sexton summit, one of the main monitored passes during the winter. I never paid attention to the actual mountain until now. It was a nice day drive from my home QTH and we hit one additional summit on the drive back. Unfortunately it was really foggy so there was no view but I think on a clear day it would be nice.
Oreana Ridge is a picturesque summit with scattered trees, grass/forb land, an old US Forest Service L-4 Lookout and a log garage. There are fine views of high peaks in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and the steep slopes of Salmon River breaks. The lookout built in
During a 12-day, Self-Guided tour through the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy, I had the opportunity to activate a few mountains that “happened” to be right along our route. I was with my XYL, Sharon, and 2 other couples, so my opportunities were somewhat limited by time and patience (or lack thereof) of my travelling companions. None the less, I managed 4 Activations. This report deals with the Activation of Monte Pic, I/AA-181. This easy to ascend peak is 7,753 Feet / 2,363 Meters in elevation. The reason I report this Activation on the PNW SOTA reflector is to illustrate the outstanding opportunities that await those that venture out to Northern Italy, Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany. These countries all share in common superb tourist infrastructure and ease of access to thousands of SOTA peaks, ranging from walk ups to world class alpine climbs. There is also the attraction of great food and beer, and hospitable local populations. Finally, there are also opportunities to reach out to local SOTA Activators, and perhaps go out for joint Activations.
Pasture Ridge is one of several SOTA summits near the Magruder Corridor. This corridor-road divides some of the most wild-country in Idaho, the Selway Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness areas. The trail access to the summit begins at the Historic Magruder Ranger Station.